Get Published: The New York Times Hosts Unique Poetry Contest

Are you the type of girl who hears poetry in every day conversation — and even  finds it on the back of the cereal box? Then, have we got a contest for you:

The New York Times is hosting its third annual Found Poem Student Contest for poetic hearts between the ages of 13 and 25.  Here’s how it works, from the official description:

“A New York Times found poem…uses words and phrases taken from one Times article, past or present, or several — and since the paper has been publishing since 1851, choosing which Times article(s) to use is often the hardest part…You can mix and combine these words and phrases into a new piece, or you might simply ‘find’ some Times writing that you think is already poetic.”

There are a few constraints, such as your poem has to be 14 lines or fewer, and you can only use up to two words of your own. For complete rules, click here. Other than that, use that creative mind of your to get going — and don’t forget to check out past winners’ work for some inspiration. (Last year, a 16-year-old pieced together a winning entry that began: “To reach a lost American place,/ Follow a thin country road./It unspools across an Appalachian Valley’s grimy floor.”)

Feeling stumped? Read through some recent Times articles and start writing down words that move you. Maybe you’ll find something stirring in a review of The Hunger Games or a student’s post about the Trayvon Martin shooting. Plus, make sure you check out Heart of Gold’s advice for boosting your creativity.